MOSCOW, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet pledged Monday to further economic cooperation.

    Russia and Vietnam enjoy a "very close partnership" with bilateral trade volume growing year on year, Medvedev said in a meeting with Triet at the Kremlin.

    He added that the trade figure reached 1 billion U.S. dollars last year and is expected to hit 1.5 billion dollars in 2008.

    The heads of state will witness the signing of a package of agreements following the talks, "which will testify to the high potential of Russian-Vietnamese cooperation," Itar-Tass quoted Medvedev as saying.

    The Russian president offered to use only national currencies, rubles and dongs, in mutual settlements.

    Medvedev said Russia and Vietnam share close or identical positions on international affairs, including some major issues, and "Moscow intends to develop the broadest coordination and interaction with Hanoi on the entire scope of the international agenda."

    Triet, who arrived in Moscow Sunday for a four-day visit, spoke highly of Vietnam-Russia relations, saying his visit aimed "to bring bilateral relations to a new level."

    "Russia is getting stronger, is becoming a more and more powerful country and is making a contribution to the establishment of stability and prosperity in the world," he said, expressing congratulations to Russia for her economic achievements and growing international influence.

    Vietnam is seeking to tap potential markets such as Russia at a time when its export-oriented industries are threatened by a possible turndown following the global financial crisis that has hit its major overseas markets of the United States and European Union.